WASHINGTON/TEHRAN – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused Iran of using the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic pressure point, while reaffirming that Washington remains willing to pursue diplomacy to resolve tensions with Tehran.
Speaking before departing for the Philippines to attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Rubio said the United States has always been open to diplomatic engagement with Iran, provided negotiations are genuine and commitments are honoured.
He stressed that any agreement would become ineffective if Iran failed to abide by its terms, adding that Washington had made repeated efforts to reach an understanding with Tehran and would continue to seek a diplomatic solution.
Rubio said Iran was attempting to use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage, but the United States would continue taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of international shipping. He also called on allied nations to share the responsibility for protecting global maritime routes through military assistance or financial contributions.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a recent interview that Tehran had been offered incentives to enter negotiations before the 12-day conflict, but rejected the notion that Iran could be pressured through threats or inducements.
Araghchi reiterated that Iran’s uranium enrichment programme was not open to negotiation or compromise under any circumstances.
He also said communication among Iranian officials was briefly disrupted at the beginning of the conflict but insisted that the war had not changed Iran’s policies or strategic principles.
The Iranian foreign minister claimed Iran had emerged stronger from the conflict and asserted that the international community had come to recognise the Strait of Hormuz as one of the country’s most important strategic advantages.
